EVPC discusses various code amendments at study session

By Nic Wackerly

Trail-Gazette

Posted:
09/21/2018 08:19:59 AM MDT

The Estes Valley Planning Commission (EVPC) discussed code amendments to neighborhood meetings, park and recreation zoning standards, development plan exemptions with parking spaces and readoption of the official zoning map during their study session on Sept. 18.

Town of Estes Park Community Development Director Randy Hunt discussed the zoning standards for parks and recreation in residential districts with the EVPC.

"Last year there was a code amendment that removed the word non-commercial from the definition of parks and recreation uses, that amendment had one follow up item that came about this year and that is the mountain coaster application," Hunt said. "Arguably, the idea of removing the word non-commercial, while we still at the staff level think that was an appropriate, in fact necessary change to our code did bring about some consequences that are broader than what was envisioned in the materials last year."

Hunt said Town of Estes Park Planner I Robin Becker's name is on the paperwork for the code amendment that removed non-commercial, but that it was his proposal and he takes responsibility for it.

A new code amendment could put more guardrails around the parks and recreation uses and the idea at this beginning level of discussion is to have a public review, Hunt said, adding staff can not support reversing the decision to remove non-commercial.

"The logic behind putting the amendment in last year is still sound logic," Hunt said, citing benefits to places like Cheley Camp and the farmer's market. "I think [the code amendment last year] was incomplete, it was done over simplistically."

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Hunt said this code amendment could be ready for the October EVPC meeting. EVPC Chair Bob Leavitt said it sounds like a good timeline for the amendment, decried the personal attacks that have occurred in the process and said the amendment is on the right track.

Following the discussion on the parks and recreation code amendment, Hunt described the current situation with development plan exemptions regarding parking spaces.

"If you are doing a commercial development, non-residential development that has nine or fewer parking spaces associated with it, you don't have to do a development plan, you don't have to submit to the planning division for standard routing to the other agencies, sanitation district review, fire department and so on. We just go straight to the building permit stage," Hunt said. "The building permit stage is not really the point at which these reviews are best handled."

Hunt recommended lowering the threshold for parking spaces to trigger a required development plan to three or more as opposed to the current 10 or more.

An update was also provided on the plan to readopt the official zoning map to clarify the map.

"Realistically it is probably 2019 before we have the new official zoning map to present to you," Hunt said.

There has been confusion over cross hatched area on the zoning map and the interpretation of areas as open space.

"One of the issues here is people who have property adjacent to any of those cross hatched areas that said open space. This is a Town Board policy thing, but they are going to have to decide how those should be addressed if a resident comes forward with an issue," Leavitt said.

Trustee Ron Norris said it is on their list of issues to address.

Hunt gave an update on the neighborhood meeting code change, that was voted on favorably by the EVPC in their August meeting and it will be on the Town of Estes Park Board of Trustees agenda for Oct. 9. and Larimer County Board of County Commissioners on Oct. 15. Hunt said, that if it is approved, the protocol would be in place around the middle of November. The code amendment requires neighborhood meetings as part of the application for those developments that require a public hearing.

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